MONSTER MOTLEY: 32 points, 20 rebounds leads No. 6 Baylor past Texas, 74-64
The Bears and Longhorns meet in a game that will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Immortal Ten in which 10 of 22 members of Baylor's traveling party were killed when the team bus was hit by a train as the team was traveling to Austin. The 1927 season was canceled.
Here are 5 things to watch:
>Reeling Texas: Just how messed up is this team? The Longhorns have lost five of their last six. All of those losses have been by nine points or less. The main issue with this team is that it really doesn't have a true point guard. It's also missing guard Tevin Mack who has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. Texas is really young and doesn't have much chemistry right now.
>Getting Motley going: Baylor survived a pretty forgettable performance by junior forward Johnathan Motley at Kansas St. when he fouled out 4:34 to play and scored only seven points. Given his size and experience and that Texas has a lot of experience in the block, check out to see how much he gets fed early to see how Texas reacts to it. What's odd about Motley's season is that he is the only player to foul out of a game for the Bears. He's done it twice.
>Get shots: It was a far different day in Manhattan when Ish Wainright, Manu Lecomte and Al Freeman had good shooting performances in the 77-68 victory. If they are out of the slump, there's no place like home. Lecomte said the right things after the KSU game. While the team enjoyed the No. 1 ranking for a week, it's not about being No. 1 now. It's about being No. 1 after March Madness.
>Pressure Texas: Because of its youth and aforementioned point guard issue, this the game for the experienced Bears to impose their will on the Texas guards Kerwin Roach and Andrew Jones. Texas has turned it over more times (232) than it has assists (195). You have to make their guards handle the basketball and be efficient with it.
>Fill the Ferrell: When the Bears held off Oklahoma St., 61-57 on Jan. 7, a record 10,627 fans packed the building to watch that team. The early start may not help because people will be trying to get to the game. So the Ferrell may not look filled at the start. But the students are out. A little more than the 2,200 who showed up for OSU is always a good thing. This is the time to continue to make the Ferrell a true home court advantage.